griffiths



- (No Model.) I 3 Sheets--Sheet 1.

. Tf GRIFFITHS. CONVERTER EMPLOYED'INTHE MANUFAGTURE OF IRON AND STEEL. No. 295,546.

' PatentedMagr. 25, 1884;

NJ PEIEHS. Fhnkrrliihognpher, Wishingtom u.c.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2,

(No Model.)

T. GRIFFITHS. CONVERTER EMPLO-YEDIN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL.

No. 295,546. Patented Mar. 25,1884.

7 Ira/2 111 7/////// Illa/ll fi ,fw E m "6 9 Liihmgmpher. Washington. n. C.

(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 T. GRIFFITHS. CONVERTER EMPLOYED IN, THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL,

V Patented Malfl25, 1884.

v n PETERS. PholmLilhographen wanm, m;

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

THOMAS GRIFFITHS, OF ABEBGAVENNY, COUNTY OF MONMOUTH, ENGLAND.

CONVERTER EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 295,546. dated March 25, 1884-.

Application filed January 28, 1884. (No model.) Patented in England May 19, 1883, No. 2,504.

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS GRIFFITHS, of Abergavenny, in the county of Monmouth,

1 England, have invented a new and useful Im- My present invention relates to improvements in means or apparatus employed in the manufacture of iron and steel described in Letters Patent No. 271,683, granted to Wi1- liam John Glapp and myself on February.

6, 1883, and in two applications for Letters Patent filed by me on October 15, 1883, Serial No. 109,184, and November 3, 1883, Serial No. 110,795, respectively. In the said patent and applications is described, afixed converter having external blast-chambers provided with tuyeres having plugs, stoppers, valves, or covers operated by various means from the outside for the purpose of stopping the blast at pleasure, the said stoppers being fitted with small apertures admitting a sufficient quantity of air under pressure into the tuyeres to keep the metal from chilling therein.

Referring now to the drawings, Figure 1 is a view of the converter, partly in elevation and partly in vertical section. Figs. 2 and 3 are vertical and transverse sections of one of the tuyeres with its valve and means for closing the same. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of amodification of thefirst form. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are respectively a vertical section, an elevation, and a horizontal section of another modification of the first form.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in each.

a is the body of the converter. b is the charging-aperture. d is the main blast-pipe surrounding the upper part of the tuyeres.

cl d are branch blast-pipes conveying the blast from the main blast-pipe d to the blast-cham bers e, and f is the discharging-aperture. These parts form no part of my present invention.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, I pass through the cover e of each blast box or chamber e an air or blast tube, The tuyere, valve, or cover 9 is hinged to the end of the tube m, which projects through the stuffingbox e formedin the cover 6 of the blast-chamber, said tube being fixed in any required position by a set-screw, e, or by other suitable means. The valve or cover 9 is weighted by an arm, 9, so as to give it a constant tendency to close the passage through the "tuyere owhen not otherwise acted upon. In order to open the passage through thetuyere, Ipass through the tube m a rod or pusher, n, formed at its inner end with a projection, 71/, which, when the rod is pushed inward, acts upon the arm 9?, and thereby removesthevalve or cover 9 from the end of the tuyere. A grooved collar, 9 is fixed to the rod or pusher n, to enable the same to be operated by means of a weighted clutch-lever, h, the lower end of which is forked, so as to fit in the grooved collar 9 to the circular rod j, passed around theupper part of the converter, where it is supported on suitable guide-rollers k. A leveris connected to the rod j to enable the same to be readily moved in either direction, as may be required. The parts 'i, i, and i may, however, be dispensed with, and, asshown by the dotted lines in Fig; 1, a chain would be connected directly with the clutch-lever h, and, after passing overa guide-wheel, it is connected at its other end with the circular rod j. By the means above described the tuyere, valve, or cover 9 can be caused to open the passage through the tuyere by simply movingthe lever in the direction desired, a suitable catch or stop (not shown) being provided to retain said lever in'such position,.when required, while by relieving the lever from such stop or catch the weighted clutch-levers h will be free to act, and will thereby cause the tuyeres, valves, or covers 9 simultaneously to close all the passages through the tuyeres o. By disconnectvalve or cover 9 is not caused automatically to close the passage through thetuyere 0, but its arm g is connected by a link, g to a sleeve, 9 screwed upon the tube 9, so that the passage through the tuyere c is closed and opened by moving the tube 9 to and fro, as described with respect to the pusher n in the first arrangement; and instead of employing a tube, m, to carry the axis of the valve or cover 9, such tube m is replaced by a solid rod mounted and adjusted in a similar manner to the tube m. The sleeve is also capable of adjustment on the tube 9 by screwing, as shown.

At Figs. 5, 6, and 7 Ihave represented a vertical section, an elevation, and a horizontal section of parts, showing another slight modification. In this case the valve or cover g, instead of moving to and from its seat in a vertical plane, is caused to move in a horizontal plane. For this purpose the arm is mounted on a crossbar, 6', carried by two studs, e fixed to the door or cover 0, motion being given to such valve or cover 9 in a similar manner to that of the arrangement described with respect to Fig. 4.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. In a converter having external blastchambers and tuyeres, the combination of a hinged weighted tuyere, valve, or cover, 9, with a rod or pusher, n, grooved collar 9 and weighted lever h for operating the same, sub stantially as herein shown and described.

2. In a converter having external blastchambers and tuyeres, the combination of a hinged tuyere, valve, or cover, 9, rod or pusher n, link {1 collar 9 and tube 9, substantially as herein shown and described.

3. In a converter having external blastchambers, the combination of the tuyeres with hinged tuyere covers or valves arranged in said blast-chambers and operated from the outside by means of a sliding stem, tube, or pusher, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 21st day of November, A. D. 1883.

' rnos. GRIFFITHS.

Witnesses:

THY. OREAVE, Conway Villa, Newport, lllonmowfh, Solicitors Clerk.

THOS. B. J owns, 7 Olg tha Pom-7c, Newport, lVIomnouth, Solicitors Clerk. 

